The worst thing about having heart problems is NOT the heart problems – it is the Transient Ischaemic Attacks which have the greatest effect. I sound like this sometimes and it is caused by my low blood pressure, clots and oxygen deficiencies…

A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini stroke” is caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain.

The disruption in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause sudden symptoms similar to a stroke, such as speech and visual disturbance, and numbness or weakness in the face, arms and legs.

However, a TIA doesn’t last as long as a stroke. The effects often only last for a few minutes or hours and fully resolve within 24 hours.

Symptoms of a TIA

The signs of a TIA depend on which part of the brain is not getting enough blood. They are the same as the signs of stroke and may include one or all of the following:

Weakness, numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg on either or both sides of the body

Difficulty speaking or understanding

Dizziness, loss of balance or an unexplained fall

Loss of vision, sudden blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes

Headache, usually severe and of abrupt onset or unexplained change in the pattern of headaches

Difficulty swallowing

Causes of TIAs

During a TIA, one of the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen-rich blood becomes blocked.

This blockage is usually caused by a blood clot that has formed elsewhere in your body and travelled to the blood vessels supplying the brain, although it can also be caused by pieces of fatty material or air bubbles.

People over 60 years of age, and people of Asian, African or Caribbean descent are also at a higher risk of having a TIA.

What Is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a communication disorder that results from damage or injury to language parts of the brain. It’s more common in older adults, particularly those who have had a stroke.

Aphasia gets in the way of a person’s ability to use or understand words. Aphasia does not impair the person’s intelligence. People who have aphasia may have difficulty speaking and finding the “right” words to complete their thoughts. They may also have problems understanding conversation, reading and comprehending written words, writing words, and using numbers.

What Causes Aphasia?

Aphasia is usually caused by a stroke or brain injury with damage to one or more parts of the brain that deal with language. According to the National Aphasia Association, about 25% to 40% of people who survive a stroke get aphasia.

What Are the Types of Aphasia?

There are types of aphasia. Each type can cause impairment that varies from mild to severe. Common types of aphasia include the following:

Expressive aphasia (non-fluent): With expressive aphasia, the person knows what he or she wants to say, yet has difficulty communicating it to others. It doesn’t matter whether the person is trying to say or write what he or she is trying to communicate.

Receptive aphasia (fluent): With receptive aphasia, the person can hear a voice or read the print, but may not understand the meaning of the message. Oftentimes, someone with receptive aphasia takes language literally. Their own speech may be disturbed because they do not understand their own language.

Anomic aphasia. With anomic aphasia, the person has word-finding difficulties. This is called anomia. Because of the difficulties, the person struggles to find the right words for speaking and writing.

Global aphasia. This is the most severe type of aphasia. It is often seen right after someone has a stroke. With global aphasia, the person has difficulty speaking and understanding words. In addition, the person is unable to read or write.

Primary progressive aphasia. Primary progressive aphasia is a rare disorder where people slowly lose their ability to talk, read, write, and comprehend what they hear in conversation over a period of time. With a stroke, aphasia may improve with proper therapy. There is no treatment to reverse primary progressive aphasia. People with primary progressive aphasia are able to communicate in ways other than speech. For instance, they might use gestures. And many benefit from a combination of speech therapy and medications.

Aphasia may be mild or severe. With mild aphasia, the person may be able to converse, yet have trouble finding the right word or understanding complex conversations. Severe aphasia limits the person’s ability to communicate. The person may say little and may not participate in or understand any conversation.

An Overview of Aphasia

Asphasia commonly affects people who've had a stroke or other injury to the part of the brain that controls language. WebMD explains how aphasia affects speech, writing, and language comprehension...

No this is NOT Schizophrenia, Obviously

Unfortunately Edward de Saram and his band of merry ShitLankanTM Psychiatrists seized on the symptoms of TIAs, namely the ‘disorganised speech’ and fraudulently used that as a basis to diagnose Schizophrenia – it was absolutely shocking and classless as usual.

It is beyond me how they could collectively ignore the obvious reason for the ‘slurred speech’ and how they deliberately misrepresented TIA as C.I.A. and caused even more issues!!